Poll

Religion

The new year is here, and with it is often comes a resolution to get into shape.
I have been to a store that sells used exercise equipment. It is called Second Wind Exercise Equipment. I have observed that following Christmas, many stores have sales on exercise equipment.
They offer discounts and incentives for purchasing the most modern and up-to-date equipment.
A few months later, folks begin selling their latest and greatest exercise equipment simply because they don’t use it.

Northside Christian adds service
Due to increased attendance, Northside Christian Church in Vandalia will begin holding an additional Sunday morning service on Dec. 7.
The new service times are 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., with Sunday school at 9:30 a.m.
Northside Christian offers a blend of traditional and contemporary music in a casual atmosphere. For more information, call 283-1970.

This year's Operation Christmas Child netted 2,322 shoe boxes of Christmas items. Last week, members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Vandalia Community High School loaded the boxes into a trailer for transport.

First United Methodist Church in Vandalia served as the relay center of Fayette and Montgomery counties. Operation Christmas Child is a worldwide children’s project of Samaritan’s Purse that used gift-filled shoe boxes to let hurting boys and girls know that they are loved and not forgotten.

By Charlene M. Jett
It is the time of the year that we need to remember the reason for the season of celebration and history of Evergreen Outreach.
The foundation of Evergreen Outreach is based in the Bible (Mathew 25:40), which inspired Phyllis Rames (the founder) more than 45 years ago. It means that whatever you do to the least of these, you have done to me (Christ). It points to Christ’s life of kindness and mercy, which we are to emulate.

By Charlene M. Jett
I hardly know where to start – our Veterans Day speakers were so inspirational!
But let me do some housekeeping first. Pastor James Fackler was our leader and Donna Smith our pianist. We sang our regular welcome and Outreach songs, and need to give special thanks to Donna for not complaining about our out-of-tune voices. We sang “Happy Birthday” to Tonya Stout and Hope Holffstatler. We welcomed a newcomer, Beulah Nichols, and were saddened to hear about Marvin Stall of FAYCO becoming ill.

First United Methodist Church in Vandalia is again hosting Operation Christmas Child for this year, with collections being accepted beginning on Monday.
The church, located at 127 N. Fouth St., is the Vandalia Relay Center for Operation Christmas Child, through which shoe boxes from both Fayette and Montgomery counties are accepted.
Operation Christmas Child is a worldwide children’s project of Samaritan’s Purse that used gift-filled shoe boxes to let hurting boys and girls know that they are loved and not forgotten.

Throughout 2014, I have been encouraging both of the churches I pastor to focus on discipleship. And I’ve been using the term “transformational discipleship.” Let’s take a look at what those two words mean.

New ministry for mothers, children
A new ministry for mothers with babies and young children is now offered at Parkview Free Methodist Church.
Called "22:6 Playgroup," the faith-based group will meet from 6-8 p.m. Its name is derived from Proverbs 22:6, which says: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
For more information, look up the group on Facebook or call the church at 283-0799.